Convert PDFs to PDF/X, PDF/A, or
PDF/E

You
can validate PDF content against PDF/X, PDF/A, PDF/VT or PDF/E criteria.
You can also save a copy of the PDF as PDF/X, PDF/A, or PDF/E, provided
it complies with the specified requirements. For example, under
certain circumstances, an ICC profile that describes the destination
device is required for PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3, and PDF/X-4 compliance.
If your document doesn’t have an embedded ICC output profile, you
can embed one before saving.

You can convert a PDF to a standards-compliant
PDF using the Standards wizard. This wizard explains the intents
of specific formats as it guides you through the process. If you
are familiar with the standards, you can use a built-in profile,
or a profile created via the wizard, to convert a PDF.

Note:

You
can also create PDF/X-, and PDF/A-compliant files using Acrobat
Distiller.

Convert to PDF/X, PDF/A, or PDF/E
using a profile

Choose Tools > Print Production.

The Print Production toolset is displayed in the right hand pane.

Click Preflight.

The Preflight dialog box is displayed.

In the Preflight dialog box, choose PDF Standards from the Libraries drop-down list.

Click on the Profiles tab.

Expand a compliance profile and select the profile you want. For example, under PDF/A Compliance, select Convert To PDF/A-1b.

Click Analyze And Fix.

Click Save to convert the file based on the selected profile.

Convert to PDF/X, PDF/A, or PDF/E
using a wizard

Choose Tools > Print Production.

The Print Production toolset is displayed in the right hand pane.

Click Preflight.

The Preflight dialog box is displayed.

In the Preflight dialog box, click Standards.

Select Save As PDF/X, Save As PDF/A, or Save As PDF/E, and then click Continue.

Select the desired version and click Continue.

Select a conversion profile and one of the available viewing or printing condition.

Do any of the following:

To apply corrections during the conversion, choose the Apply Corrections check box.

Click the question mark icon to see a list of the fixups that are applied.

To save the profile, click Save As Profile.

To convert the PDF based on the selected profile and settings, click Save As.

If the conversion succeeds, a green check mark appears
in the Preflight dialog box. If the conversion fails, a red X appears
in the Preflight dialog box.

Verify a PDF against PDF/X, PDF/A,
PDF/VT, or PDF/E criteria

PDF/X, PDF/A, PDF/VT, and PDF/E files can be created in various ways, such as by using Acrobat Distiller or the File > Save AsOther command. If you open a PDF that conforms to one of these standards, you can view the standards information in the Navigation pane. (Choose View > Show/Hide > Navigation Panes, and then click the Standards.) The Standards menu and panel are available only if the PDF conforms to a standard. The Standards panel is present in all versions (Acrobat Professional, Standard, and even Reader). However, Verify Conformation functionality is only present in Acrobat.

The Conformance information indicates the standard used to create the file, the ISO name, and whether the file has been verified as PDF/X-, PDF/A-, PDF/VT-, PDF/UA-, or PDF/E-compliant. The Output Intent information indicates the color settings associated with the file. To verify the standards conformance for the file, click Verify Conformance.

Remove PDF/X, PDF/A, or PDF/E information

You can remove all PDF/X-,
PDF/A-, or PDF/E-specific information, such as the output condition
or the GTS_PDFX version key. This action is useful if a file has been
modified, if you want to start over, or if an ICC profile increases
the file size too much.

Choose Tools > Print Production.

The Print Production toolset is displayed in the right hand pane.

Click Preflight.

The Preflight dialog box is displayed.

In the Preflight dialog box, choose PDF Standards from the Libraries drop-down list.

Click on the Fixups tab.

Expand the Document info and Metadata group and select the Remove <compliance_name> Information option. For example, select Remove PDF/A Information.

Click Fix.

Select a location to save the file and click Save.

If the operation is successful, a green check mark appears in the Results tab of the Preflight dialog box. If the operation fails, a red X appears in the Results tab of the Preflight dialog box.